Irritation – Day 6 Of The Love Dare

Irritation – Day 6 Of The Love Dare 40 Day Challenge.  Today’s challenge is all about learning how to react with love instead of irritation.

Day 6 – Love Is Not Irritable

He who is slow to anger is better than mighty, and he who rules his spirit, than he who captures a city
Proverbs 16:32

Choose today to start reacting to tough circumstances in your marriage with love instead of irritation. Begin by making a list of areas where you need to add margin to your schedule. Then list any selfish motivations that you need to release from your life.

To be irritable means to be near the point of a knife. Not far from being poked. People who are irritable are locked, loaded, and ready to over react.

When under pressure, love does not turn sour. Minor problems don’t yield major reactions. The truth is, love does not get angry or hurt unless there is a legitimate and just reason in the sight of God.

A loving husband will remain calm and patient, showing mercy and restraining his temper. Rage and violence are out of the question. A loving wife is not overly sensitive or cranky but exercises emotional self-control. She chooses to be a flower among the thorns and respond pleasantly during prickly situations.

There are two reasons that contribute to being irritable.

1. STRESS.  Stress weighs you down, drains your energy, weakens your health, and invites you to be cranky. It can be brought on by relational causes – arguing, division, and bitterness. There are also excessive causes – overworking, overplaying, and overspending. And there are deficiencies – not getting enough rest, nutrition, exercise. Often times we inflict these daggers on ourselves, and this sets us up to be irritable.
2. SELFISHNESS. when you’re irritable, the heart of the problem is primarily a problem of the heart. Being easily angered is an indicator that a hidden area of selfishness or insecurity is present where love is supposed to rule. But selfishness also wears many other masks – lust, bitterness, greed, and pride.

Love will lead you to forgive instead of holding a grudge. To be grateful instead of greedy. To be content rather than rushing into more debt.

Love ultimately lowers your stress and helps you release the venom that can build up inside. It then sets up your heart to respond to your spouse with patience and encouragement, rather than anger and exasperation.

Did you like Irritation – Day 6 Of The Love Dare 40 Day Challenge?  Let me know what you thought.  And if you missed any of the other days, check out the The Love Dare series here, where I’ll be going through the 40 days myself.  Much love 🙂